Dual tape dispenser and method of dispensing reversed-conjoined tapes

ABSTRACT

A dual tape dispenser and method of dispensing reversed-conjoined tapes which includes housing panels configured with two rotatable tape-roll hubs mounted perpendicularly to the vertical housing panels to hold two rolls of tapes with one of the tapes is reversed so that an adhesive edge of the first tape is conjoined longitudinally to a reversed adhesive edge of the second tape when the tape ends are being dispensed simultaneously on the same path. A plurality of configurations for the dual tape dispenser dispensing reversed-conjoined tapes may be manufactured for use with tape bore openings ranging from three inches to one inch in diameter for scaled-down versions to accommodate smaller tape rolls in all of which the dispensers are for dispensing reversed-conjoined tapes that are partially and longitudinally overlapped on the inside edges, thus exposing the remain adhesive portion on each side of the reversed-conjoined tapes.

The present invention relates to tape dispensers and more particularlyto dual tape dispenser for dispensing reversed-conjoined tapes by havingtwo rolls of tapes partially offset with one of the tapes is reversed sothat an adhesive edge on the first tape is conjoined to a reversedadhesive edge on the second tape when both tape ends are being dispensedtogether on the same path.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

Tape dispensing devices have been in use for many years. There are tapedispensers made for dispensing a single tape, multiple tapes forselections of different colors and sizes in all of which are independentfrom one another. There are tape dispensers conventionally used fordispensing masking tapes, duct tapes, medical tapes, office tapes andother general purpose tapes. Certain tape dispensers are used todispense tape together with a roll of paper or a folded plastic sheet ina roll as used for sprayed painting, staining or texturing. These tapedispensers are necessary tools for use in remodeling profession;however, there is no prior art related to a dual tape dispenser whichdispenses reversed-conjoined tapes so that the remained adhesive portionof the first tape is taped onto a substrate surface and the adjacentreversed adhesive portion of the second tape is exposed and is ready foruser to attach other material to, such as an edge or a folded edge of aplastic sheet or paper to mask off areas, such as doors, countertops,refrigerator, etc., that are not supposed to be sprayed with materialslike paint, stain, wet join compound or plaster for texturing when usinga spraying machine; Also to mask off framed openings, open spaces,ceilings and floors to prevent dust, sprayed paint or stain, etc. frombeing blown into other rooms; Or to be utilized for other purposes suchas posting posters, pictures, drawings and the like for office, homeand/or school display. Reversed-conjoined tapes works similar todouble-sided adhesive tapes but have several choices of differentpressure sensitive strengths with easily released pressure sensitiveadhesive that are intended for how many days they can be used withoutleaving residue or damaging the surfaces to which they are applied onto;Other types of tapes come in smaller tape rolls can also be dispensed asa reversed-conjoined tapes to attain double-sided adhesive tape feature,therefore it can be ripped apart near the inside joined edges to avoiddamaging to the pictures, posters or drawings.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Clearly all of the existing dispensers, such as tape dispensers for desktop are for dispensing a single roll of tape or multiple tape rolls tobe dispensed individually. Closely related to this invention is theHand-Masker Dispenser by 3M company for dispensing masking tape togetherwith masking paper or folded plastic sheet in a roll, offer certainfeatures that are convenient for certain tasks; However, in certainsituations, those dispensers would not be practical when user need toapply tape along the edges and attach the edge of the plastic sheet orpaper thereafter.

By way of contrast, the instant invention is directed to and claims amethod and apparatus of a dual tape dispenser holding two roll of tapesto be dispensed together longitudinally with one of the tape roll isreversed so that a portion of adhesive side of the first tape is affixedto a reversed portion of adhesive side of the second tape.

SUMMARY OF THE ADVANTAGES AND SCOPE OF THE INVENTION

An advantage of the present invention is to provide a dual tapedispenser dispensing reversed-conjoined tapes with one of the tapes isreversed so that an adhesive edge of the first tape is conjoinedlongitudinally to a reversed adhesive edge of the second tape when bothtape ends are being dispensed together simultaneously on the same path.Currently, there is none of the tape dispensers on the market whichdispenses two rolls of tapes with one of which is reversed so that whenone tape is affixed to a substrate surface, the other reversed tape isexposed so that other materials such as plastic sheet or paper can beeasily attached to, which is an ideal solution for painters and interiorfinishers when they need to mask off certain areas to prevent paint,stain, join compound, dust or the like from being blown into or onto.

Another advantage for many people is that users may use dual tapedispenser dispensing reversed-conjoined tapes to post pictures,drawings, posters and the like for office, home and/or schools withoutusing pins, or spending too much time making a loop out of a one-sidedadhesive tape. Pressure sensitive tapes comes in a wide selection of howmany days the tapes can be used without leaving residue on the walls,without damaging the pictures or posters and that the tapes can easilybe removed.

Accordingly, this invention has an object to provide a dual tapedispensing device of the character described above which is technicallysimple to mass produce, simple to assemble and easy for end user to use.These and other objects will be manifest when considering the followingdetailed drawing specifications when taken in conjunction with theappended drawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a dimetric view as seen from a front angle below the dual tapedispenser in accordance with the present invention in which the cuttingblade is separated from the cutting blade receptacle.

FIG. 2 is a right side view showing the first tape roll to be in thefront of the dispenser as seen on the right side; and the second taperoll to be at the rear as seen on the left side which is under thehandle.

FIG. 3 is a left side view showing the first tape roll to be on the leftside and the second tape roll to be on the right side which is under thehandle.

FIG. 4 is a top view showing the handle on the left side and the firsttape roll to be on the right side.

FIG. 5 is a dimetric view as seen from an angle below the cutting bladewhich showed a cut-a-way notch on the opposite edge of the cuttingblade.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIG. 1-5, a dual tapedispenser in accordance with the present invention is shown, in FIG. 1,a dimetric view of an assembled dual tape dispenser dispensingreversed-conjoined tapes. The components and their positions areillustrated and described hereinafter as seen from a front angle belowthe dispenser.

On the right side of FIG. 1 is the first tape-roll hub 21 with a taperoll 22 installed is positioned at the front on the first housing panel1. As when the tape end 29 is being pulled from the first tape roll 22which turns clockwise as viewed from the right side as shown on FIG. 1and FIG. 2, the tape end 29 being pulled would travel toward the firstcantilevered spindle 8, then turn 180 degree to reverse the direction oftravel toward the front where the cutting blade 10 is snapped onto thecutting-blade receptacle 6. The tape 22 being pulled would have theadhesive side of the tape facing downward.

On the left side of FIG. 1 is the second tape-roll hub 19 with a taperoll 20 installed is positioned at the rear on the second housing panel2. A washer 18 and a bolt 17 hold the second tape-roll hub 19 in placeat the second housing panel 2 as seen on FIG. 1. As when the tape end 30is being pulled from the second tape roll 20 which turnscounterclockwise as viewed from the right side as shown on FIG. 1 andFIG. 2., the tape end 30 being pulled from the tape roll 20 would travelover the top of the second cantilevered spindle 9 and partially underthe first cantilevered spindle 8 where the tape end 29 and 30 start tomeet and partially conjoin on the inside adhesive edges. On the oppositeside of the second cantilevered spindle 9 is the tape depressing bar 14which is pivottably attached to the second housing panel 2 with a washersimilar to washer 18 and a bolt 16 wherein the base portion of the tapedepressing bar 14 has a chamber where a torsion spring is loaded withinto gently help pressing the depressing end 15 against the reversedconjoined portion of the tapes at under the first cantilevered spindle8. A cutting blade 10 has three different functions comprising a cuttingedge 13 for cutting tapes ends 29 and 30, a ramp where thereversed-conjoined tapes would have the remained adhesive portion facingupward of the tape end 30 to temporarily affix onto so that the tapeends 29 and 30 would be easily torn off at the cutting edge 13, and acut-a-way notch 12 as can be seen on FIG. 5 to prevent the cutting blade10 from sliding horizontally. A structural wall 5 is part of the uppervertical housing panel 1 and short wall 3 to give some strength for thehandle 24 to be attached to. At the rear end of the handle 24 is ahanging bracket 26 with a hook 27 so that the user can hang thedispenser temporarily on a belt, ladder or where suitable andconvenient. The bracket 26 is pivottably attached to the end of thehandle 26 by a cap 25 which can be tightened or loosen for the bracket26 to be adjustable and set at certain angle. The hanging bracket 26 canbe pivottably attached to the end of the handle 24 by pressure fittingso that the hanging bracket 26 can be adjusted without adjusting the cap25.

FIG. 2 shows the position of the components of the dual tape dispenseras seen from the right side view of the dispenser, including the tapedispensing path where the first tape roll 22 is rotating clockwise wherethe tape end 29 is looping partially around the first cantileveredspindle 8 and turn back toward the front where the cutting blade 10 isposition, see FIG. 5. When the tape is ready to be cut, user would pullthe reversed-conjoined tape ends 29 and 30 slightly upward, therefore aportion of the adhesive portion of the tape 30 facing upward to beaffixed to the ramp 11 portion of the cutting blade 10 where thereversed-conjoined tape ends 29 and 30 can be cut at the cutting edge13. FIG. 2 also shows position of the short wall 3 where first housingpanel 1 and second housing panel 2 are connected in relation to thefirst tape-roll hub 21, second tape-roll hub 20 and the handle 24.

FIG. 3 shows the dual tape dispenser as viewed from the left side of thedispenser where the first housing panel 1 is seen more clearly inrelation to the upper wall portion 4 and supporting brace 5 beingconnected to the handle 24, and a short wall 3 where first housing panel1 and second housing panel 2 are connected. A washer 18 and a bolt 17hold the first tape-roll hub 21 in place on the first housing panel 1and the first tape roll 22 to be installed onto the first tape-roll hub21. As viewed from the left side as illustrated on FIG. 3, whendispensing tapes, the first tape-roll hub 21 with tape roll 22 installedwould rotate counterclockwise, and the second tape-roll hub 19 with taperoll 20 installed would rotate clockwise so that the tape ends 29 and 30would become reversed and conjoined.

FIG. 4 shows the dual tape dispenser as viewed from above the dispenserwhere the first housing panel 1 with a first tape roll 22 installed ispositioned on the right side of the first housing panel 1, and thesecond tape roll 20 would be positioned below the handle 24 and on theleft side of the second housing panel 2.

FIG. 5 shows the cutting blade 10 with three features including acutting edge 13 with tiny teeth, at least one cut-a-way notch 12 toprevent the cutting blade from sliding side way, and a ramp where thetape ends 29 and 30 would be temporarily affixed to so that the reversedconjoined tapes would be cut easily.

Those skilled in the art will observe that the dual tape dispenserdispensing reversed-conjoined tapes configured for use in constructionor remodeling industry is fabricated to utilize masking tapes with 3inch bore openings, and described in connection with FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4and 5 of the drawings hereinbefore can be modified to house and dispensetapes with smaller bore opening such as 1 inch or 1½ inches borediameter for use in offices, homes and schools.

Although but one embodiment of the present invention has beenillustrated and described it will be apparent to those skilled in theart that various changes and modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A dual tape dispenser and method of use fordispensing reversed-conjoined tapes comprising two vertical housingpanels connected by a short wall to house two rotatable tape-roll hubs,configured one on each recessed side of each vertical housing panel, tohold two rolls of tapes having same bore opening with one of the tapesis reversed so that an inside adhesive edge of the first tape isconjoined longitudinally to an inside reversed adhesive edge of thesecond tape when both tape ends are being dispensed togethersimultaneously on the same path; said vertical housing panels are offsetand connected by a short wall perpendicular to the vertical housingpanels; said two rotatable tape-roll hubs are therefore offset andpositioned to hold two rolls of tapes with a predetermined overlap onthe inside edges so that the inside edge of the first tape is partiallyoverlapped with the reversed inside edge of the second tapelongitudinally; said dispenser to include a handle, two cantileveredspindles to guild the tapes, a tape depressing bar with a spring loadedwhich is pivottably attached to the back wall of the second cantileveredspindle, and a cutting-blade receptacle where a cutting blade is snappedonto; said cutting blade to have a ramp member thereof where an adhesiveportion of the tape ends can stick thereto which make the conjoined tapeends easier to be torn off at the cutting edge.
 2. A dual tape dispenseraccording to claim 1 wherein the vertical housing panels are extendedand connected to certain parts including a curved short wall connectingfirst wall panel and second wall panel perpendicularly with respect tofirst and second wall panel, an upper wall extended upwardly as part ofthe first housing panel and is fixedly connected to the handle, adownwardly extended wall portions where a cutting-blade receptacle isjoined fixedly and perpendicularly for the cutting blade to be snappedonto, two extended wall portions for first and second cantileveredspindles to be positioned in place below the housing panels.
 3. Verticalhousing panels according to claim 2 wherein both rotatable tape-rollhubs are identical in size and at least one of them is loaded with acompression spring to help achieving friction drag when the tapes passthrough a common first cantilevered spindle whereby there is somepressure applied onto the tapes which helps the first tape adhere ontothe reversed side of the second tape when both tapes start to jointogether; said rotatable tape-roll hubs can accept both rolls of tapeswith same or different widths.
 4. Tape-roll hubs according to claim 1wherein when the reversed-conjoined tapes are being dispensed togethersimultaneously, both tape-roll hubs with tapes installed are rotated inopposite directions, that is one roll of tape is rotatedcounterclockwise and the other one is rotated clockwise as viewed from aside.
 5. Tape-roll hubs according to claim 3 wherein said both rotatabletape-roll hubs are located on opposite sides of the vertical housingpanels and are offset so that when two tape rolls are installed onto thetape-roll hubs, the inside edges of both tapes would have about ¼ inchoverlapped where two reversed-conjoined adhesive edges joined togetherlongitudinally.
 6. Tape-roll hubs according to claim 3 wherein eachrotatable tape-roll hub has a diameter of about 3 inches so that astandard three inch bore opening of a tape roll can fit snugly onto eachrotatable tape-roll hub; said both tape-roll hubs to be identical insize.
 7. A tape-roll hub according to claim 6 wherein said tape-roll hubcan be fabricated in any shape with multiple points of contact,preferably a 5- or 6-point star shape which helps receiving and holdingthe tapes with diverse widths in place snugly; said tape-roll hub tohave a clearance between the contact points thereof to provide a littleof cushion tolerance in which user can push the tape core part out ofthe tape-roll hub when a tape roll needs to be replaced.
 8. A dual tapedispenser according to claim 2 wherein the first rotatable tape-roll hubis configured for the first roll of tape to be installed from therecessed side perpendicularly on the first housing panel, and the secondrotatable tape-roll hub is configured for the second roll of tape to beinstalled from the recessed side perpendicularly on the second housingpanel; said first and second portion of the housing panel to be offsetto achieve desirable reserved-conjoined tape overlap; said first andsecond housing panel to have curved arrows imprinted on both sides ofthe housing panels showing the tape path from each roll of tape andvisible for user when the tape rolls are installed.
 9. A dual tapedispenser according to claim 1 wherein configured to be a portable dualtape dispenser with a handle adjustably or fixedly attached to thehousing panel thereof; said handle to be attached to the upper portionof the first housing panel.
 10. Cantilevered spindles according to claim1 wherein the first and second cantilevered spindle are incorporated aspart of the vertical housing panels positioned perpendicularly inrelation to the housing panels; said first cantilevered spindle ispositioned toward the front housing panel where two tapes would passthrough, and the second cantilevered spindle is positioned for only therear tape to pass through.
 11. A tape depressing bar according to claim1 wherein said tape depressing bar which has a base with a torsionspring loaded inside to be pivottably attached perpendicularly to thesecond housing panel on the back side of the second cantileveredspindle; said tape depressing bar to gently press the reversed-conjoinedportion of the tapes against the first cantilevered spindle where bothtapes pass by in between the first cantilevered spindle and the tapedepressing bar.
 12. Cutting blade receptacle according to claim 1wherein said cutting-blade receptacle is positioned perpendicularly inrelation to the first housing panel; said cutting-blade is configured tobe snapped onto the cutting-blade receptacle; said cutting-bladereceptacle can be the cutting blade itself.
 13. A cutting bladeaccording to claim 1 wherein a snapped-on cutting blade comprising acutting edge with teeth for cutting tapes, at least one notch on theedge to prevent the cutting blade from sliding, and a ramp in betweenthe edges where an adhesive portion of the tape ends can stick theretowhich makes the conjoined tape portion easy to be torn off at thecutting blade; said cutting blade is removably and adjustably mounted ona cutting-blade receptacle perpendicularly in relation to said firsthousing panel thereof, and have at least one cut-away notch with one ofwhich to be placed onto a stop wall to keep the cutting blade fromsliding sideway.
 14. A dual tape dispenser according to claim 1 whereinin a possible embodiment the tape roll alignment is offset whether eachroll of tapes is on the opposite side of the housing panels or both taperolls are on the same side of the housing panels so that when both tapesare installed onto the tape-roll hubs, the tapes would have a desirableoverlapped portion of reversed-conjoined tape ends longitudinally.
 15. Adual tape dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the handle to include apivotally adjustable belt clip positioned at the back side of the handleor anywhere desirable on the housing panels; said belt clip when in openposition can be hooked onto the user's belt, ladder or anywhere possibleand convenient.
 16. A dual tape dispenser according to claim 1 whereinin another embodiment having a wall perpendicular to the housing panelsto replace the handle so that the dispenser can be placed on anyhorizontal plain or installed onto a wall surface via screw holes.
 17. Adual tape dispenser according to claim 1 wherein in other embodiments tobe scaled down and fabricated in smaller versions that are configured tohold small tape rolls with small bore openings, such as one inch boreopening or other small standard bore openings; said dual tape dispenserto have an outer housing formed to hold tape housing panels with tapesinstalled within; said dual tape dispenser to be fabricated fordispensing reversed-conjoined tapes for posting drawings, pictures,papers and the like in offices, homes and schools.